Schirmer trial: Wife's son broke down on witness stand

Girlfriend's daughter testifies about the affair

Betty Jean Schirmer's son broke down on the witness stand this morning when he saw photos of his mother lying in the hospital connected to life support.

UPDATE: 5:10 p.m. Jan. 14

The daughter of the woman who was reportedly having an affair with a former pastor took the stand this afternoon in Monroe County Court.

Samantha Musante, now 20, told the jury about when she found out her mother, Cynthia was having an affair with her boss, Arthur "AB" Schirmer, when he was pastor of the Reeders United Methodist Church.

Schirmer is on trial in Monroe County Court on charges that he murdered his wife Betty Jean and staged a July 15, 2008, crash to cover up the crime. Today marks the fifth day of testimony presented by the prosecution.

Police started investigating when Cynthia's husband Joseph, committed suicide in Schirmer's office, reportedly because of the affair.

Today, Samantha testified that she learned of the affair when she was searching through her mother's phone. She found a text message from Schirmer so she created a fake identity and emailed him with a warning that said, "Behave professionally or it will cost you."

When Assistant District Attorney Mike Mancuso asked why she did that, Samantha replied, "I wanted to keep my family together.

Mancuso asked about her father's reaction when he found out about the affair. Samantha said, "He was heartbroken. He thought he could trust my mom."

Emails about the affair

Trooper Scott Sotak, a computer crimes investigator, said police looked at church office computers as well as a laptop.

In addition to finding nearly 2,000 searched for the word "porn," Sotak cited emails between Schirmer and Cynthia Musante.

In the emails, Sotak said the two declared their love and the desire to start a new life together.

Sotak also testified about emails with another woman who was also reported to be having an affair with Schirmer.

During the time after Betty Jean's death, the woman was emailing Schirmer saying that she missed him.

The Internet search also showed pornography sites had been visited on the computers.

Son breaks down on witness stand

Earlier this morning Betty Jean's son broke down on the witness stand when he saw photos of his mother lying in the hospital connected to life support.

She was later taken off life support when it became clear that she couldn't function without the aid of machines.

Schirmer, 64, was pastor at Reeders United Methodist Church in Jackson Township at the time of the crash and, as a result of the investigation in this case, is now charged also in the 1999 murder of his first wife, Jewel, in Lebanon County.

Schirmer said he was driving Betty Jean to the hospital after she awoke complaining of jaw pain. He said the couple was heading north on Route 715 in Pocono Township, toward Interstate 80, when a deer appeared in the road in front of their PT Cruiser.

Schirmer told police he swerved and crashed into the guard rail. He said Betty Jean, 56, was not wearing a seatbelt at the time and hit her head. She was pronounced dead the next day at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Betty Jean's son, Nate Novak said when he heard about the crash, he rushed to the hospital. The nurse told him, "She's in pretty bad shape. Be prepared for what you're about to see."

That's when he broke down on the stand.

When he continued the testimony, he said Schirmer seemed "calm and relaxed" during the time his mother was in the hospital.

Never talked about cremation

Novak said Schirmer told him that Betty Jean and he agreed that neither one would want to live on life support. He also said she wanted to be cremated. Novak said his mother never mentioned either issue to him.

Novak said he had spoken to his mother by phone on her birthday on June 28. She seemed distant and upset, he said, but she didn't say if anything was bothering her.

In the fall after she died, Schirmer sent Novak cards and mementos that where his mother's. Included was the last birthday card Schirmer had given her. It contained a sticky note that said, "I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you. I hope someday you'll be free." The word free was underlined.

Novak said he first met Schirmer in 2001 when his mother began dating him. He testified that Schirmer told him his first wife, Jewel, died of cancer. In fact she died from a fall down the stairs at their home in Lebanon, where he served as pastor.

UPDATE: 1:20 p.m. Jan. 14

A state police investigator today cited emails between Arthur Schirmer and Cynthia Musante as evidence that they had an affair.

Schirmer is on trial in Monroe County Court on charges that he murdered his wife Betty Jean and staged a July 15, 2008, crash to cover up his crime. Today marks the fifth day of testimony presented by the prosecution.

Trooper Scott Sotak, a computer crimes investigator said police looked at church office computers as well as a laptop.

Emails between Schirmer and Musante declared their love and the desire to start a new life together.

Sotak also testified about emails with another woman who was also reported to be having an affair with Schirmer.

During the time after Betty Jean's death, the woman was emailing Schirmer saying that she missed him.

The internet search also showed pornography sites had been visited on the computers.

Earlier

Betty Jean Schirmer's son broke down on the witness stand this morning when he saw photos of his mother lying in the hospital connected to life support.

She was later taken off life support when it became clear that she couldn't function without the aid of machines.

Her husband, Arthur Schirmer is on trial in Monroe County Court on charges that he murdered his wife and staged a July 15, 2008, crash to cover up his crime.

Schirmer, 64, was pastor at Reeders United Methodist Church in Jackson Township at the time of the crash and, as a result of the investigation in this case, is now charged also in the 1999 murder of his first wife, Jewel, in Lebanon County.

Schirmer said he was driving Betty Jean to the hospital after she awoke complaining of jaw pain. He said the couple was heading north on Route 715 in Pocono Township, toward Interstate 80, when a deer appeared in the road in front of their PT Cruiser.

Schirmer told police he swerved and crashed into the guard rail. He said Betty Jean, 56, was not wearing a seatbelt at the time and hit her head. She was pronounced dead the next day at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Betty Jean's son, Nate Novak said when he heard about the crash, he rushed to the hospital. The nurse told him, "She's in pretty bad shape. Be prepared for what you're about to see."

That's when he broke down on the stand.

When he continued the testimony, he said Schirmer seemed "calm and relaxed" during the time his mother was in the hospital.

Novak said Schirmer told him that Betty Jean and he agreed that neither one would want to live on life support. He also said she wanted to be cremated. Novak said his mother never mentioned either issue to him.

Novak said he had spoken to his mother by phone on her birthday on June 28. She seemed distant and upset, he said, but she didn't say if anything was bothering her.

In the fall after she died, Schirmer sent Novak cards and mementos that where his mother's. Included was the last birthday card Schirmer had given her. It contained a sticky note that said, "I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you. I hope someday you'll be free." The word free was underlined.

Novak said he first met Schirmer in 2001 when his mother began dating him. He testified that Schirmer told him his first wife, Jewel, died of cancer. In fact she died from a fall down the stairs at their home in Lebanon, where he served as pastor.